1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and machine for composting organic material to aid aerobic decomposition and in particular to a flail mechanism used in an elongated reactor to move the material towards a finishing end of the reactor during a processing pass.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Composting machines used with an elongated reactor with a flail mechanism that moves organic material towards a finishing end during a processing pass are known. Usually, there is one processing pass each day. With previous machines, the flails are usually equally spaced longitudinally and radially affixed to a horizontal shaft. As there is one flail per longitudinal space, these flails have proven difficult to balance dynamically. In addition, when the flails are returned from the finishing end to the starting end so that another processing pass can begin, the shaft and the flails must be raised well above the reactor so that the flails will clear the material located within the reactor. Further, with previous machines, the flails sometimes move the material too far along the reactor. This can lead to inefficiency in that the depth of the material can be too shallow at some locations in the reactor. When the depth of material in the reactor is too low, the volume of material being processed by the reactor is obviously reduced.